Within the first 10 seconds of “The Good Place,” main character Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) reads this message: “Welcome! Everything is fine.” It’s a message that rings incredibly true to the quality of the show itself. While there is nothing inherently wrong with “The Good Place” in terms of plot, acting or comedy, the show has still to realize the fullest potential of its creative concept.
That concept is a tale as old as time. What, exactly, happens after death? Eleanor discovers the answer after a freak accident involving Lonely Gal Margarita Mix for One and a truck advertising an erectile dysfunction pill. “The Good Place” says the afterlife is a place where “every religion guessed about 5 percent,” but as it is presented in the show, it more closely resembles a stuffy Ivy League: pretentious do-gooders, a genteel bow-tied leader (Ted Danson), an emphasis on frozen yogurt and an incredibly rigorous admissions process. It’s the last point that causes Eleanor trouble. As a reprehensible person throughout her life, Eleanor’s presence is a glitch that threatens the entire utopian neighborhood she is determined to call her home, so as to avoid the torturous Bad Place.
The show’s greatest success with its abstract concept is with the rules it has created for the afterlife. They’re equal parts funny and fascinating. A running joke throughout the premiere, for example, is Eleanor’s inability to swear in the Good Place, resulting in a slew of “bullshirts,” “benches” and “forks.” On a more interesting level, the concept of personalized neighborhoods leaves a lot of room for the show to explore in the future — what do other neighborhoods look like, for instance? On the other hand, when the show runs too far from an inherent set of rules, it becomes less interesting. For instance, a scene in the premiere shows giant shrimp flying in the sky — a gag too dreamlike to be substantially funny or meaningful.
The show is carried in huge part by the charm of its main players. Kristen Bell is revelatory, and it’s her bubbly deposition that makes her flaws compelling rather than irritating. Likewise, Ted Danson is perfectly cast, and William Jackson Harper’s role as Eleanor’s eternal soulmate and former ethics professor Chidi is charming. The two play off of each other with great comedic and potentially romantic chemistry. Where the show lacks is in the secondary cast. Jameela Jamil and Manny Jacinto, playing Eleanor’s neighbors Tahani and Jianyu, both seem game, but in the first few episodes, their characters contribute little.
Created by Michael Schur (“Parks and Recreation,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) and headed by a strong cast and concept, “The Good Place” has all the ingredients it needs to be truly great. Like Eleanor Shellstrop, however, there’s still plenty of improving that needs to be done.
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